Clasp for garment supporters and the like



M. BROWN 2,134,224 CLASP FOR GARMENT SUPPORTERS AND THE LIKE Get. 25, 1938.

Filed Aug. 4, 1937 Patented Oct. 25, 1938 UNITED STATES CLASP FOR GARMENT SUPPORTERS AND THE LIKE- Marvin Brown, New York, N. Y.

Application August 4, 1937, Serial No. 157,405

1 Claim.

My invention relates toclasps and has particular reference to a clasp primarily intended for use in connection with garment supporters such as garters, suspenders and the like.

It is an object of my invention to provide a clasp adapted to be secured at the end of an elastic or non-elastic tape or tab on the lower end of the garment supporter to detachably engage the welt portion of a stocking or the fabric of other garments to be supported, which clasp, when engaged, will securely attach the supporter to the garment.

It is an object of my invention to provide a clasp including a toggle member which, upon straightening out and the pivot thereof passing over the dead center of the toggle, will effectively clamp the portion of the garment engaged by the clasp.

It has been previously proposed in the prior art to provide a clasp consisting of a back plate or its equivalent, having an upturned portion at its bottom edge and having a hearing at its upper edge for pivotally supporting a second plate or lever constituting one member of a .toggle, this second plate or lever being pivotally mounted intermediate its ends in a bearing at the upper edge of the back plate and having at its upper edge a portion adapted for attachment to a tape or tab of a garment supporter. In such devices, as previously proposed, a third plate is pivotally attached to the lower edge of the second plate or lever and constitutes the other member of the toggle. When a portion of a stocking or other garment is pressed into engagement with the upturned lower edge of the back plate and the lower edge of the third plate placed thereover, an upward pull on the tape or tab to which the upper end of the second plate or lever is attached, will cause the toggle to move toward its straight position and force the lower edge of the third plate into engagement with the garment and firmly clamp the garment into engagement with the upturned lower edge of the back plate. In such devices, the construction is such that the greater the upward pull on the tape or tab. or the greater the downward pull on the garment, the nearer the toggle is moved into its straight or extended position and the more firmly is the fabric of the garment gripped or clamped by the clasp. vices the effectiveness of the clamping action is entirely lost when there is no upward pull on the tab or tap-e or when there is no downward pull on the garment, and hence such clasps frequently release their hold on the stocking or 'back plate of the clasp.

However, in such degarment and fail to satisfactorily perform their intended function. Further, it frequently happens that the fabric of the garment is'relatively thick and is sometimes placed upwardly of the back plate, in which event the thickness of the 5 fabric located between the back plate and the pivot of the toggle prevents movement of the toggle toward its straight or clamping position and prevents the effective gripping or clamping engagement between the upturned lower edge of 10 the back plate and the lower edge of the toggle.

Being cognizant of the disadvantages of the clasps of the prior art, I have provided a clasp in which the parts are so arranged and constructed that the length of the toggle with respect to the distance between the bearing at the upper edge of the back plate and the lower upturned edge thereof, and the relative position of the pivotal mounting of the second plate with respect to the lower upturned edge of the back plate, is such that the toggle memberin. moving to clamping position will, straighten out completely and will pass over the dead centerposition of the toggle. This I accomplishby :p-ositioning the pivot or bearing at the upper edge of the back plate an appreciable distance in front of the face of the back plate in a manner to be more fully described hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawing wherein, for the purpose of illustration, I have shown a preferred embodiment of my present invention,

Figure 1 is a perspective View showing the clasp in gripping or clamping engagement with the upper edge of a stocking or other garment to be, supported,

Fig. 2 is a plan view of my improved clasp,

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of my improved clasp,

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are side views of my improved clasp showing, respectively, the clasp in open position, in partially closed position, and in fully 40 closed position, and V I Fig. '7 is an end view of my improved clasp showing the fabric of the garment positioned an appreciable distance along the front face of the Referring in detail to the drawing wherein like reference characters have been employed to desa bearing orpivot for the member. 5 of the clasp, 6,5

this member 5 being preferably made of stiff wire or the like and comprising an upper loop 6 through which the tape or tab 1 is passed, turned back, and secured by stitching or other suitable means. The loop 6 is preferably ofiset laterally toward the rear face of the back plate I as clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawing. The loop 6 terminates in a straight portion 8 and laterally. extending portions 9, which laterally extending portions 9 have return bends which are engaged, for pivotal movement, within a bead I0 in the upper edge of a substantially rectangular plate II, preferably composed of a flat strip of sheet metal folded back upon itself to form a rounded or smooth lower edge and a plate of double thickness throughout the major portion of its length. The plate II with the member 5, constitutes a toggle. It is within the contemplation of my present invention that the back plate I, or at least the upturned portion 2 thereof and also the plate II, or at least the lower portion thereof, be covered with rubber or other relatively soft material so that the clamp will not tear or otherwise injure the fabric of the garment engaged by the clasp. It is to be particularly noted that the bearing or pivot provided by the bead 4 at the upper end of the laterally extending portion 3 of the plate I is offset an appreciable distance from the front face of the back plate I, and that the total length of the straight portion 8 and laterally extending portions 9 of the member 5plus the length of the member I I is slightly greater than the normal distance between the bearing or pivot provided by the bead 4 and the inner face of the upturned portion 2 at the lower edge of the back plate I. Hence, when the toggle is straightened out, the laterally offset portion 3 of the'back plate I will flex slightly, and as the pivot provided by the bead 41 moves past its dead center position, said pivot will be forced into contact with the front face of the back plate I with a decided snap action.

Referring now to the operation of the clasp forming the subject-matter of my present invention, and with particular reference to Figs. 4, 5 and .6 of the accompanying drawing, it will be seen that the upper end or welt I2 of a stocking or thefabric of any garment to be supported, is placed over the lower upturned edge 2 of the back plate I as clearly shown in Fig. 4. The lower edge of the plate II is then directed toward the upturned edge 2 to overlie the fabric of the garment, as clearly shown in Fig. 5. An upward pull onthe tape or tab 1 causes the upper end of the member 5 to move in a counter-clockwise directionv about the pivotal mounting provided by the bead 4 and this results in the toggle comprising the members 5 and II moving toward its straight or extended position. Continued pull on the upper end of tab 1 causes the pivotal connection between the lower end of the member 5 and the upper end of the plate II to move past the dead center position of the toggle, i. e., to move toward, into, and through a plane passing through the upturned lower edge 2 of the back plate I and the bead 4, it being understood that when the toggle .is straightened out the laterally offset portion 3 will flex slightly and that when the pivot provided by the bead 4 moves past its dead center position, said pivot will be forced into contact with the front face of the back plate I with a decided snap action. When so adjusted and arranged, the parts occupy the relative positions shown in Fig. 6, with the fabric I2- of the garment securely and rigidly clamped between stitutes the pivotal connection between the lower end of the lever 5 and the upper end of the plate II, and the inner surface of theupturned portion 2, are all disposed in the same vertical plane.

In Fig. 7 of the accompanying drawingI have illustrated my improved clasp to show its effectiveness even though the fabric I2 of the garment to be supported is inadvertently extended an appreciable distance upwardly of the front face of the back plate 2. It is not intended that the fabric be so positioned when using the clasp of my present invention but it frequently happens that the fabric, instead of merely overlying the upturned portion 2, will be placed along the front face of the back plate and will occupy a position above the bead I0. Due to the extent of the lateral offset portion 3 at the upper end of the base plate I, the presence of an appreciable thickness of fabric positioned between the bead I0 and the front face of the back plate I will not prevent the proper gripping or clamping action of my improved clasp, it being obvious that as explained in connection with Figs. 4, 5 and 6, the toggle will move toward its straight or extended position and the pivotal connection provided by the bead I 0 will pass beyond the dead center position of the toggle, and, due to the flexing of the laterally ofiset portion 3, will be snapped into contact with the front face of the fabric.

When it is desired to release the clasp from its gripping or clamping action with the fabric, it is only necessary to release theupward pull on the tape or tab 1 and, by means of the thumb and forefinger, to press the upper offset portion 6 of the member 5 toward the upturned portion 2 at the lower end of the clasp. This results in moving the pivot provided by the bead I0 from its position adjacent the front face of the back plate and forces this pivot away from the said front face, through the dead center position and to the released position shown in Fig. 4. As said toggle moves to its straight position, the laterally offset portion 3 is slightly flexed and as said pivot moves outwardly beyond the straight position of the toggle, this slight flexing of the said laterally offset portion 3 will snap the clasp to open position.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a clasp of relatively simple and inexpensive construction and a clasp which effectively functions to securely and rigidly grip or clamp the supporter to the garment to be supported. It will also be apparent that by reason of the laterally offset portion 3 and the relative size and dimension of parts, the pivot between the lever and plate II, which lever and plate constitute the toggle, must pass the dead center position of the art. It is also to be understood that the form of my invention shown and described herein is to be taken as a preferred embodiment of the same and that various changes may be made in the shape, size and construction of parts without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the subjoined claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A clasp comprising a back plate having an upturned forwardly extending portion at its lower edge and a forwardly extending offset portion at its upper edge, said ofiset portion terminating in a bead having a cut-out portion intermediate the length thereof, a lever comprising a length of Wire bent to form an upper closed loop, portions of which are disposed within the bead to pivotally connect said lever to the outer end of said ofiset portion of the back plate, and portions of which extend through thecut-out portion of said bead, said extending portions being disposed in parallel relation and terminating in a second closed loop, and a plate pivotally connected to said second closed loop, said extending portions and said closed loop and said plate constituting a toggle which, when in the straight position, is

slightly greater in length than the normal distance between the bead and the inner surface of the upturned lower portion of the back plate, the pivotal connection between said lever and said plate lying adjacent the front face of the back plate and inwardly of a plane passing through said-upturned lower edge and the bead at the outer. end of the oifset portion at the top of the back plate when the clasp is in clamping or gripping position.

. MARVIN BROWN. 

